REVIEW: VocabAhead One Thousand SAT Vocabulary Videos & Mp3s

VocabAhead~One Thousand SAT Vocabulary Videos and Mp3s

Lafazi, Inc
Website:  HERE!
Ages: Jr/Sr high school-adult
$24.95 @Amazon.com 
I say:  Great resource for anyone who desire increased vocab!

I was given VocabAhead~One Thousand SAT Vocabulary Videos & Mp3s as part of The Old Schoolhouse Crew review team in exchange for my honest opinions without monetary compensation.  My opinions are my own.

It's important to ck out a good solid vocabulary program to increase their word usage and communicate effectively no matter the age of your child and VocabAhead is a neat tool with loads of cartoon pictures to link meanings to words~This DVD employs the learning for a visual learner and an auditory learner~what a boost!  I like these cartoons that are well done and the little short film or narrative includes a word usage sentence with an explanation.  I think all kids will like this, but for the child who needs a picture, you won't go wrong.   
Here's the VocabAhead widget:



This DVD set of words number 1179 and it's amazing how great these are! Your child could actually enjoy vocabulary building, but this isn't really for a young child. The definitions employ a larger vocabulary than a young child might have and I didn't really like all of the definitions to some of the words or words used, like abase and burlesque.  Really? Is it necessary to include such?  The cartoons while appealing do present the words in a somewhat extreme manner.  The videos are short and direct~about 55 sec long~We liked that!

I checked out the website and it's got some really neat features that go along with the word videos~The Study Room has many of the videos for FREE as well as word building flashcards and quizes~the words are laid out alphabetically and you can customize your list~all for FREE~and you know, SisterT loves FREE! But if you'd like to record these videos on the Mp3 to carry around, then you will want this DVD...and it's got more words~Amazing teaching method!  You can access the site and there is a Teacher Area's area as well as a sign up to receive a vocabulary cartoon each day. 

I like this learning tool, but I'd be more comfortable if the content was consistent for the higher road in life, and I'm just not sure that unless you want to download the audio that the purchase price is worth it~like I said, SisterT loves FREE!  There's a lot to get on the website FREE, and it appears that it's just words albeit there are 1179 on the DVD~that Study Room is appealing!  Since I collect FREE resources, I am adding VocabAhead to my list.  

We like VocabAhead~Hope you will check out what the rest of TOS Crew is saying                 !

FREE: ACT prep site

ACT student

FREE: Merrium Webster's Vocab Site (Spelling Bee Preparation and SAT/ACT Prep)

Word lists with audio pronounciations and definitions~lists by topics like Latin, Japanese, Spanish, Olde English.
Merrium Webster's Spell It!

FREE: SAT Prep in Math (Coordinates With Guide: SAT Prep (College Board)

Khan Academy is just amazing! My friend who is a math teacher suggests using the SAT Prep Guide to work specific areas so that more practice AND kinds of problems are covered in math.  OK, so how to do this?  I found Khan Academy online, and he does YouTube instructional videos in math at varying levels.  He also does science and some history. There are OVER 1600 videos of good subject matter~Go ck out this FREE resource for college prep!

What the site says about the SAT Prep book:

We have done all 8 math practice tests (432 problems) in the old version of "The Official SAT Study Guide" by the College Board (ISBN Number: 0-87447-718-2 published in 2004) in the 100+ videos below. If you have the new version of the book with 10 Practice Tests, we have given the corresponding test in the titles below.

Ah...THAT MATH Question Again

Oh boy~I'm REVISITING math again this year~well, let me explain...

I have two teens who are now going to 9th and 10th grades.  For four years (but not totally) we have used Teaching Textbooks with an interlude of time with our daughter using ALEKS of which I had written a review and she wanted to try.  She did.  She found that it was not preparing her in a way that her pie was becoming filled in a timely fashion as she worked almost a year~albeit with times that her computer wouldn't load the program AND times when ALEKS did not record her work~yes, this happened...so this mama took matters BACK and put bought Algebra I for her, and we began AGAIN...

My friend who is a high school math teacher but also now teaches middle school visited us last week and because I had asked many questions about math when we need to find something that will teach it and my child will GET it, she said she would "work" with them a little bit to see what was going on.  After several sessions my friend told me that my children have good mental math skills, which is a testament to the hard work in their younger grades. Whohoo!

She evaluated their Teaching Textbooks PreAlgebra and Algebra I in light of a few things she knew would show up on the CRCT for 8th grade in her state and the high school graduation exam (GRE).  She advised me to look at the state standards here in our state and compare them line by line to the scope and sequence of our curriculum.  If I find things not present then she advised me to find a way to teach them so my kids will be prepared for the ACT/SAT when they take it in preparation for college entrance. 

Well, there are things not present in the Alg I but I need to see if they are in Alg 2 and Trig or Geometry.  I honestly don't know, but it's a huge question since we are in the ninth hour of our educations.  I think I need to develop a good plan to address this.

I will look into the state standards of my state for the CRCT/GRE and compare~make some notes...

I plan to call Teaching Textbooks and speak with a curriculum specialist or whoever they have who can help me to discover what the courses in the future will hold according to our needs...

I can appreciate other thoughtful parents considering this question of a good math education for their children,
Books /'n Other Stuff has a good analysis of her research and findings which I plan to follow.

This is a pretty big question for me and stay tuned for the MATHATHON in deciding just how to address this issue...

WHAT would you do? H E L P!!!